If you are reading this blog post, you might have been searching for dental sticks for your pups then you saw my blog post and wanted to find out why I stopped using the popular dental sticks.
Most dental sticks/treats which are marketed these days are made of low-quality cheap ingredients which are very high in carbs and that is not good for your puppy.
Most of the popular dental sticks/treats are 30 – 50% carbohydrates. That means that up to half of the macronutrients are simple, starch cheap high carb ingredients.
I prefer these dental sticks/treats with 2- 15% carbohydrates for my puppies.
Excess carbohydrates are broken down into sugar. for carbohydrates, digestion begins in the mouth and the sugar could promote the production of plaque and tartar.
I also noticed that most of the popular ones have ingredient decks filled with synthetic ingredients/synthetic vitamin packs.
I don’t like treats like this because if just one synthetic pack gets miscalculated or misregulated, then your pup would be getting an excess in something they shouldn’t.
Also, most of the popular dental sticks/treats are not species-appropriate, let me explain what that means.
Species-appropriate foods/ ingredients are those foods/ ingredients that dogs are naturally designed to eat and digest.
It is widely known that dogs are built to eat high-meat, low-carb diets and these popular treats/sticks are high in carbohydrates, up to 30-50%.
You also have to understand that, just because your puppy can digest a certain food/ ingredient, does not mean that the food is species-appropriate.
Species-appropriate foods need to be optimal for your puppy’s health and not just digestible.
So, consuming these dental sticks/treats can put your puppy at risk of choking or blocking.
If your pup swallows large bits of it whole and it gets into their stomach, if there are not able to digest them because they are made of cheap fillers, weak gluten, flours, cellulose e.t.c, they can be at more risk of digestive and blockage issues.
I know you are probably wondering “but all these dental sticks/ treats have the VOHC stamp.
But what these stamps mean is that the sticks/chews have a texture that contributes to scraping off plaque and tartar.
If you take a good look at their packaging you would notice that it is written that, it is the texture that removes the plaque.
You have to understand that it is not only about what the dental sticks/ treats do but about what there are doing in your puppy’s body.
If you take your time to study what the dental sticks/ treats are made of (which I think you should do), you would notice most of them are made of inexpensive ingredients and they are overpriced for what they do, which is just to remove plaque and tartar.
One thing for sure is that these popular dental sticks/ treats can actually remove plaque and tartar but If I can do that with something more natural and species-appropriate for my pup which they would enjoy, then I would do that.
Most of these popular dental sticks/ treats are not good for your puppy’s metabolic health.
Poor metabolic health could lead to a lot of chronic diseases in dogs and optimal metabolic health helps prevent sugar spikes and insulin spikes.
Before we look into the types of sticks/chews that I recommend for your puppy, I would like to inform you that dental treats alone don’t guarantee healthy teeth and I suggest you ensure to brush your pup’s teeth regularly.
Now, let us look at the sticks/chews I recommend for your puppy to help scrap plaque and tartar.
Overall best dental stick for puppies
Crump’s Natural Plaque Buster Fisherman mix
I choose this as my overall best because its rough texture helps to scrape out the tartar, its rough texture is due to the finely ground oyster shells present in it and all its ingredients are natural.
This stick/treat is 100% natural and is made of very few high-quality ingredients which are sourced from North America but the sticks are produced in Canada.
The ingredients are oyster shell fine ground, sweet potato, dried citrus pulp, fish, and coconut oil.
For puppies that have a lot of food allergies, the sticks are only made of those 5 ingredients, which means, the rate of having allergic reactions to the sticks is very low.
Though the carb is a tiny bit higher than what I normally go for, it’s worth it.
This stick/ treat does not have additives, colors, and preservatives which may be harmful to your puppy.
This stick/ treat is a good source of calcium, fiber, and beta-carotene.
The calcium in these chew/sticks would help your puppy develop strong bones while keeping its teeth healthy.
The fatty acid in coconut oil has been considered to have antibacterial properties, which could benefit your puppy’s dental health.
Ayurvedic medicine has used coconut oil as a microbial for centuries to promote dental health through a process called “oil pulling”, this process is believed to cleanse the mouth of bacteria that lead to tooth decay and mouth odor.
Dried citrus pulp is very digestible and easy on your pup’s intestinal tract.
Sweet potatoes also help your puppy maintain healthy teeth, they contain vitamin A, which helps keep the mucous membrane and soft tissues of your gums healthy.
Sweet potatoes help in forming keratin, a protein that builds tooth enamel.
There has been Research that shows that omega- 3 fatty acids may help calm oral inflammation and infection, this fish in this stick contains omega-3 fatty acids which are good for your puppy.
I would suggest you don’t give this product to puppies who have not grown their adult teeth, it may be a little too hard for them.
NOTE: the company that makes these sticks, also makes different flavors, which I didn’t like because they were not natural. So, I only recommend the fisherman mix flavor.
You should also have water around when feeding your pups these sticks because they are likely to need it.
Things to know before buying this stick/chew
As your puppy chews on this stick, some crumbs might be left on the floor.
These sticks/ chews could break into small sharp pieces which could be stepped on.
Best runner-up dental stick for puppies
Icelandic plus hand-wrapped cod skin
These sticks are hand-wrapped skin only. I recommend them if your dog is on a strict low/no carb diet because they are fish and nothing else.
These sticks are 100 % natural, hand-wrapped, air-dried, and contain only one ingredient.
These sticks help remove tartar and plaque from your pup’s teeth while they chew on the tough skin.
They are wrapped really well and would take your puppy a long time to finish because they are several folds. So if you are looking for something that would last really long this could work for you.
These sticks are not messy cause they don’t break into crumbs, they also smell less compared to other fish sticks/ treats but they still have a fishy smell, what do you expect? they are made of fish.
Omega-3 fatty acid which is present in fish is beneficial to your puppy’s teeth.
Omega-3 fatty acid could help moisturize your pup’s skin and fight dry or itchy skin, the reason being that it helps improve skin barrier function, sealing in moisture, and keeping out irritants.
Omega-3 fatty acid is also beneficial to your puppy’s fur, it provides essential protein and follicles, helps prevents hair follicle inflammation, and it promotes circulation in the scalp which may cause hair growth.
Things to know before buying this stick/chew
These sticks/chews have a fishy smell, though not compared to other fish treats.
These sticks/chews cannot be broken easily like other chew sticks. So, I suggest you get the size that would be favorable to your puppy.
Best dental sticks for puppies with food allergies
Puppy parents that have pups with food allergies, I know it is very challenging when choosing, treats, foods, or anything that goes into your puppy’s stomach. Don’t worry I am here for you.
Real dog box treats and chew box
Real dog box is a company that offers subscription-based food and treats. The treat and chew box is a subscription in which they send you treats and chew sticks, this is great because you would get to select what to give and not to give your pup.
These treats help to remove your pup’s tartar and plaque when they chew on it.
They are gently air-dried and they are sent to you fresh every month.
Remember, it is the texture that scraps off the plaque. So, you should request that the treats are dried very well.
Best dental sticks for puppies under six months
When it comes to puppies who have not developed their adult tooth (most of them are below 6 months of age), I am always mindful of the chew sticks.
Although your puppy’s baby teeth are strong, the teeth and jaw are not fully developed yet and some treats could fracture the teeth.
In this blog post, we would look at the chew stick I consider for young pups. Puppies under 3 months,10 weeks, or 2 months can also use this as dental sticks.
Coconut husk chew stick
This chew toy/ dental stick for puppies is made from 100% coconut husk, the husk serves as the bristle of a brush that scraps off tartar as your dogs play with them and they are not hard for your puppy’s teeth.
Research suggests that coconut husk has a significant inhibitory action against common oral pathogens, indicating the presence of highly effective antimicrobial compounds.
Therefore, it is proved that its use can contribute to oral health to a great extent. Identification of these active compounds provides the scope for incorporating them into a modern oral care system, to control oral diseases.
Since this is more of a toy, your puppy might take them to places where it might pick dirt. So, I suggest you pick the dirt out of them once in a while.
Even if your puppy ingests tiny pieces of the husk, it will not hurt them.
Things to know before buying this stick/chew
You are likely to find little pieces of coconut husk around the house but don’t worry it will not be much.
Recap
My overall best: Crump’s Natural Plaque Buster Fisherman mix.
My best runner up: Icelandic plus hand-wrapped cod skin
My best for puppies with food allergies: Real dog box treats and chew box
My best for puppies under 6 months of age: Real dog box treats and chew box
Frequently asked questions about dental sticks for puppies
When can I start giving my puppy dental sticks?
For most dental sticks, I prefer giving them to my puppies when there are above 6 months because at that age most of their adult teeth and jaw are developed. But there is an exception to this, which is the coconut husk dog chew toy.
As I already mentioned in this post, the chew toy is made up of coconut husk which is soft and cleans the teeth.
How often should my puppy have dental sticks?
It depends on the dental stick and also if, your dog is on any diet.
The dental sticks for puppies that I recommend in this post, are made of natural ingredients and low in carbs. So, 2-3 times a day will not hurt.
Also, if your dog is on any kind of diet. It could be a low-carb, low-fat, low-protein, or weight-loss diet. Then, the proportion of the ingredients of the dental sticks would determine how much you give them.
If your dog is on a diet and you are confused about how often to give your puppy dental sticks, I suggest you consult your vet.
Do dog dental chews really work?
Yes, dog chews and dental sticks for puppies work. They can scrap out plaque and tartar because of their texture.
That is why prefer using puppy dental sticks/chews with natural ingredients like the ones I mentioned in this blog post because they perform the same function as the popular ones, are less expensive, and are more species-appropriate.
As I mention in this most of them are high in carbs, not species-appropriate, and overpriced.
Can I give my dogs dental chews at night?
It depends on the type of dental stick/chew, if the chew can be broken into pieces that can choke your puppy, it should not be given to your puppy at night because you might be asleep if anything happens.
But, if the chews are like the hand-wrapped cod skin or coconut husk chew stick which I mentioned in this blog post that does not break into choke able bits, you could give them to your puppy at night if you wish.
You should also know that giving your puppy chew sticks at night could distract your puppy from getting a good night’s rest but it can also keep them busy when they wake and prevent them from interrupting your sleep.
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